"All rail services between Madrid and Andalusia were suspended following the accident and will remain close on Monday. The company said it will keep terminals open overnight for impacted passengers."
Full BBC article: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cedw6ylpynyo
I have heard about this on TV news.
I love BBC and it was once my go to site but as an American, I can no longer read the articles without subscription. I can see the headline but when I click on so as to read the story, I get a big full page ad to subscribe.
A lot of news sites now do this.
So the BBC want you to subscribe. See if the UK Sky News works for free? (Scroll down for the train crash).
Also try:> https://www.itv.com/news
https://www.gbnews.com
https://www.euronews.com
This one is the French News in English from Paris:> https://www.france24.com/en/
You can use DW instead. Absolutely free - German households paid for it already.
"Spain: High-speed train crash"
https://www.dw.com/en/spain-train-crash-adamuz/live-75556054
will remain close on Monday.
Spanish press (El Mundo) reports that the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, predicts a closure of this railway line for a minimum of one month.
I saw this news yesterday and feel so bad for the people & their families! What a tragedy that the second train was at that location! My heart goes out to our forum contributors from Spain, too.
I was supposed to be on both of those routes (south to Cordoba/north to Madrid) next month. I did change my flights an hour ago to do a round trip through Malaga instead of Madrid.
39 deaths is the current tally. A horrific tragedy.
From the UK Government website:
On 18 January, two high‑speed trains collided near Adamuz, in the province of Córdoba in Andalusia, southern Spain.
Significant disruption to rail services between Madrid and Andalusia is expected, with all high‑speed services between Madrid and Córdoba, Seville, Málaga, Granada and Huelva suspended. Services between Madrid and Cádiz, Algeciras and Granada will also be affected.
It is being reported here that the first train (an Iryo Madrid bound train after Málaga) derailed - from an unknown cause - which caused it to obstruct the opposite line and then the RENFE train (from Madrid to Huelva) on that opposite line crashed into the obstruction. Most of the casualties were in the first 2 carriages of the second train.
Very sad.
When I was training train crew we always emphasised how critical it is in an accident to do everything to try to prevent the second collision. So sad they weren't able to in this case...
I am in Valencia and travelling by rail to Seville tomorrow. I'm not sure if our train is operating as the route is impacted via Cordoba.
I can't contact Renfe.
Has anyone taken the bus for this sector. Any suggestions appreciated
Thank you
Thank you Mark and James
The links worked.
I know about France 24. I also use Reuters and AP But i have loved BBC. It was a go to site for many years and I miss BBC. Also the subscription price is something like $9 a month. But if it were 9 cents a month, I would not pay to subscribe.
I was wondering if it has something to do with politics but many other sites are doing the exact same thing. And I m talking about American sites.
bostonphil7 > Thanks for the confirmation that the sites I suggested work. Goodness knows why the BBC won't let the world have at least their news channel for free? (Obviously we Brit’s have to pay a licence for the BBC which I think is £175 per year and worth it to have good programmes without advertisements).
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/ is the Japanese equivalent of the BBC and is their English language channel and available for free worldwide.
https://www.arirang.com/?lang=en is the South Korean English language channel and also seems to be available for free worldwide - well at least in the free world.
Goodness knows why the BBC won't let the world have at least their news channel for free?
Probably because they’re losing money. I know that’s why the American newspapers do it. It’s either that or put more ads on their pages and I’d rather pay a subscription than weed my way through all the advertising.
I honestly don’t mind paying a subscription. I respect the work that they do and think it’s important that they are supported. I appreciate that some papers like The Guardian do not make you subscribe to read their articles, but I do donate to them periodically to help out.
Rob_Chris
You might just want to physically go to the train station and go to the customer service counter.
If you train was to go on the AVE line, (Check your ticket, if it mentions stops in Cuenca and Ciudad Real, then yeah, you are affected.) If it sticks to the long distance lines, then you might be OK. (Routes through places like Albacete or Linares)
You may also be able to take the train most of the way, and switch to bus.
I’ve moved from BBC to the Guardian who offer more in depth analysis. I’m still made that those outside the UK can’t access their Radio programs. I used to love Radio Four radio plays. Taking that away from non-UK listeners shows what’s wrong with the current BBC.
Hi James
On our public broadcasting (PBS), I can get BBC for 30 minutes, NHK for 30 minutes and then a European channel in English for 30 minutes but sometimes I am watching something else or doing something else.
I try to keep up with current events and news such as the train accident that this thread is about..
The train accident was horrific. It seems like a lot of accidents like this are happening all over the world. I keep reading and hearing about these terrible accidents.
Hi Mardee
Subscriptions are not in my budget but for Amazon Prime. I have had to cancel cable because of the cost. I once watched CNN and MSNBC a lot. Now I can listen to it on my computer but can not view it except for 9 minutes every day. Also when I had cable, I could go to BBC America.
Can’t you just get the free BBC app? Or watch via YouTube?
Not sure why you have to pay.
The train tragedy is shocking.
I always feel bad for all the crew involved in these terrible accidents, as well as the passengers of course.
El Pais is allowing me to read. Here is a link
Another reason for travel insurance. You never think something like this is going to happen until it happens although I read somewhere that all passengers will be taken care of.
S J
I got BBC.com free until this year. I did not realize that it seems only Americans now have to pay until I took my cruise in October. I met a British couple and we were talking about BBC.com. I then found out that they get it without having to pay but as someone posted, Brits have to pay something like 175 pounds a year for BBC.
I was wondering if it has something to do with the current political situation or tariffs or as Mardee said, they have to make the money.
Lots of papers in the United States require subscriptions to read the full story.
I am old fashioned and like my computer and web sites when at home but I do use youtube a lot.
Euronews is free to access and available in 19 languages: https://www.euronews.com/
Also, https://www.3cat.cat/3catinfo/ -which is the public broadcaster in Catalonia- is free to access, and it's considered one of the top in Europe. Information is not in English, but surely in this day and age one can use Google Translate ;)
An update:
Rail services between Madrid and southern Spain continue to be disrupted. High speed trains are currently not running between Madrid and cities like Sevilla, Malaga, Cadiz, and Granada, and this could last several days. Renfe is adding extra trains between Madrid and Sevilla (traveling via southwest through Extremadura) from Monday to Friday.
You can follow for free live local reporting here - https://elpais.com/espana/2026-01-18/ultima-hora-del-descarrilamiento-de-dos-trenes-en-adamuz.html
Thank you Paul, very much appreciated. It's been a long day, sorting the trains.
I've managed to book a train from Valencia Nord to Seville. It's an 8 hour trip instead of our usual 4 hour trip, but at least we get to Seville. As you mentioned it goes via Albacete and Linares.
We always take the only direct morning train, however at this stage all trains are cancelled Valencia to Andalucia apart from the one we've managed to book.
It's a long trip, but nothing to complain about given the tragedy thats occurred.
Gracias
Regarding BBC access, if you delete the BBC tracking information (cookies) in your browser, you should then be able to access the content.
The American channel PBS is free to view in the UK. Televison tuners (Freeview) can pick up numerous channels for free with signals coming in via aerial. Freesat is also available with a greater number of channels.
Rail travel remains one of the safest forms of travel. Many countries now have high speed lines and this helps to reduce the impact of climate change cause by burning fossil fuels.
Goodness knows why the BBC won't let the world have at least their news channel for free?
Why should they? The BBC is a business, it has to make money and it is losing a lot from UK residents who do not watch live TV or any BBC content and therefore do not pay the TV licence fee. I can't think of any other business that gives away its products for free.
Not to deviate too much from the original reason of the post, but YES, in Europe there are plenty of publicly funded information media outlets that are subsidised by citizens of their country and offered free of charge (TF1 in France, DW in Germany, etc... and many more!), both "in" the country and abroad; likewise, there are also private media outlets, like the one I mentioned above, Euronews, which are also available for free because their revenue comes from other sources, not from subscriptions. In many cultures here, access to information deemed of 'public interest' is not seen as a commodity but as a public service.
It's the same with the Seattle Times for instance, they charge (everyone). I'm meant to get 3 free articles a month. This month I haven't had any, but looked last night at an article (about the Museum of Flight) and couldn't even get that one for free. Generally if I see an interesting ST article I just go to one of the local TV stations on you tube for free.
If it's a tiny local paper like the Northern Kittitas County Tribune I don't mind paying in principle as it is such a high quality publication with a small circulation- in practice I usually get someone to photograph the relevant page, but do feel a bit guilty at doing that. The 'Trib' reminds me of what local newspapers used to be in the UK, but are no longer. it also saves me doing an international payment.
back to the topic - sadly now 40 EDIT 43 reported dead. I have seen a BBC Verify report showing that the derailment was close to a set of points (rail switches) which are at this point not being blamed. The crash with the second train was within 20 seconds of the derailment so there would not have been to time to alert them, much less than time required to stop the second train which was travelling near 200 mph.
sad for all
edit 43 souls at Thursday 22 Jan
I saw 41 reported dead and later thought I saw 43 reported dead.
I feel guilty. I feel that this discussion should be about the accident but I created the deviation when I told Mark that I could not access BBC.
I saw 41 reported dead and later thought I saw 43 reported dead. I feel guilty. I feel that this discussion should be about the accident but I created the deviation when I told Mark that I could not access BBC.
Is the cost of access to the BBC vs the Seattle times really important in the grand scheme of things, probably not. But with the dumpster fire that the world is currently going in, it's understandable that many would turn to the mundane (like cost of access to news outlets) as a mental escape to cope with the daily cycle of bad news and tragedy. 24 hrs later and this tragedy has already been forgotten by most of the world, it's on to Davos and Greenland now
Carlos,
That is a grossly unfair statement of yours. The cost of news media is not at all a new thing, or a new concern, or a "mental escape".
It was news to me that the BBC charged for overseas access, all I knew was that I am always having to click off the pop ups to subscribe for free in the UK.
It is entirely possible to be very concerned about this accident, but not commenting. Hopefully 42- the latest count I've seen is the final figure.
My deep wider concern, as someone who promotes rail transport is that an underlying non site specific problem with either the track or the train cars is found which significantly damages the reputation of high speed rail in Spain and possibly beyond. Hopefully not, that it is a site specific problem.
Some reports today of a severe reduction.of speed on parts of the Madrid to Barcelona route while this accident is being investigated, not that there is apparent suggestion of any link between the two.
It is now a case of waiting for the accident report, which by.it's nature will be a long time coming- weeks or longer after rail services resume. But before then the track has to be cleared and reopened for traffic.
Yes I have seen that Alsa are providing extra road coaches, and there is also an enhanced air schedule apparently as well.
30 replies on a post about a horrible tragedy in Spain and 2/3 of these replies are about the issues of online news sources.
I believe the purpose of the initial post was to alert people of the situation in case they had travel plans in the area. That’s appropriate for a travel forum.
I don’t think it’s necessary for thousands of forum members to express their sympathy. I take it as a given that everyone here is saddened about the tragedy.
There was a recent incident in Switzerland where 40 people died. I didn’t see one mention of that here on the forum. I did not take that to mean that no one cared.
The forum has traditionally been a place for travel advice. Yes, there are terrible and tragic things that occur in the world. I don’t think everything needs to be discussed here. There are other outlets for that.
Sadly, there has also been a fatal crash on a Barcelona commuter train today.
https://apnews.com/article/spain-train-crash-adamuz-e4385320da523b41a4916d93a9063657
One train accident is bad but two in a week raises troubling questions about safety on Spanish trains. Stay safe everyone.
Today’s tragedy was caused by a retaining wall collapsing onto the train tracks. A commuter train then struck the debris near Gelida, a city about 25 miles from Barcelona.
The cause of the January 18 train crash near Cordoba has not yet been determined.
Carlos,
I came to this discussion this morning to see what the latest is about the accident.
This discussion is very important because it alerted members that the lines might be closed down. Some members might already have been booked. Some members might have been thinking of booking.
Members on this forum travel in this region very often. Their travel might be impacted because of the accident.
As someone else said, this is a travel site.
I have travel all booked for next week, train ticket Madrid to Granada, entry to the Alhambra, lodging for 3 nights….
And the train trip has been cancelled by email from Renfe today (1/21.)
Has anyone gone from Madrid to Granada by bus? Do you know another route by train?
Trying to salvage my plans.
Thanks,
Julie
Hi kwajdav, you might want to start a new thread with your question. That way, responses will go to you. Also, everyone looking at the spain forum will see your question as it won’t be buried at the end of this thread.
At the top of the Spain page, you’ll see “start a new topic”
Good luck!!
I would agree, this thread is a train wreck (literally).
Yes, there are other train routes available, using long distance routes. Probably longer and out of the way.
You can also look at train or bus part of the way, then another form from there.
I would go back to the place you booked and ask for alternatives. You could also go to Trainline and see what solutions there are.
As for buses, look at Alsa, the main southern Spain bus line, or Flixbus for options.
I was going to start a new thread, but.....
The train situtaion in Spain is stressful. I'm in Andalucia with many trains booked over the next month. Yesterday we travelled from Valencia to Seville, it took 12 hours, instead of our usual 4 1/2 hours. It was awful!! The train originated in Barcelona and as mentioned by Paul was a long distance route.
Our host in Seville has mentioned trains may be up and running by 02 Feb whether this is correct or not remains to be seen.
In a nutshell it's a very stressful situation at the moment.
From as much English language news media as I can find it seems that the painstaking process of clearing the two trains from the tracks is still ongoing, with a 43rd casualty now found in Car 2 of the RENFE train.
Then the tracks and probably the overhead wiring will need to be repaired, also most likely further forensic investigation of the scene, after removal of the trains.
It seems that casualty identification is still on going at as many as 5 locations in the area.
So no one is really able to give a date yet.
A horrible blow to the entire country, so very sad. I messaged with our Air BnB host and she stated the government was saying trains would be running as "normal" by Feb 2nd. Although I read in The Guardian that Spain’s largest train drivers’ union said they intend three days of strikes from 9 to 11 February, saying the action was “the only legal avenue left for workers to demand the restoration of safety standards on the railway system and, consequently, guarantee the safety of both railway professionals and passengers”.
It is difficult to say when things will be back to "normal". Even though this stretch of track was recently refurbished last year, they did find fractures in the rails. This could point to issues with welds used to connect stretches of rail, or in the actual rail itself. Either one will require some time for analysis, and then inspection of the work done. If it is something systemic, then other areas of the high speed network can be affected.
Hopefully everything is resolved quickly, but thoroughly, but other closures, reduced speeds and/or traffic, disruptions to schedules, probably are to be expected.
the initial CIAF investigation has concluded that a 40 cm (nearly 16 inches) gap in the track which "occurred prior to the passage" of the train caused the derailment..
This gap left distinctive notches in the front carriages' wheels which remained on the track, and the same notches were found in the wheels of 3 earlier trains which had also gone over the same stretch prior to the derailment.
that's a big problem.
I can understand that on a train going ~150 mph, the 16 inch gap may not be visible, but I would imagine there has to be some kind of odd ( loud?) noise would be produced as the wheels passed over. The fact that there were marks ( "notches") on the wheels attests to the fact there was a significant impact.
Strange none of the previous trains reported 'something odd'.
The question now is, was it just that one piece of track that had a defect, or is there a whole batch of rail that may be flawed.
The investigators will be busy for a while.
Are there any updates on train services in Andulsia? I have looked online and I am not certain which train lines are running? We have three connections we were hoping to travel by train: Seville to Cordoba day trip, Seville to Granada, and Granada to Ronda. Any information would be appreciated as Spain continues through this tragedy.
According to this updated map, issued today on the RENFE facebook page the temporary train plan is that-
Seville to Cordoba is running as a train
Seville to Granada, you need to route from Cordoba via Linares-Baeza (probably changes at Cordoba and Linares-Baeza).
The 3 hour direct journey on Alsa Bus feels a lot easier.
Granada to Ronda seems not to be operating direct, instead as a bus originating at Antequera so you would need to find a normal bus line from Granada to Antequera. Alsa Bus do that 1 hour 20 minute journey, maybe other companies
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1320102716815376&set=a.644005127758475
isn31c, Thanks for the update. I am headed to Madrid and Seville in March. So, I am following the train info., but trying not to worry yet.
